Life After You
by JustLilyJade
Summary: Rose and the Doctor struggle with their separation. Tentoo and the Tyler's struggle in finding ways to help Rose cope. Really bad summary guys. Sorry. DoctorxRosexTentoo AUish. Rating may change. Chapter 3 posted! Please Review and have a great day!
1. Chapter 1

A disclaimer: I don't own any characters from the show.

Note: The duplicate Doctor will be called Ten. Unless, of course, he is directly mentioned, or referred to, in which case he will be, called, The Doctor. By, other characters, he will be called, John, John Smith. The name's John, John Smith. Sorry, I had too. Hopefully, that clear cleared up, any confusion that could arise, for the later chapters.

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Doctor Who

Life After You

Chapter 1

Ten leaned against one of the pristine white wall of the Tyler's estate. The closed door that he stood next to along that same wall was the bedroom. The same bedroom he shared with Rose. The closed door kept Rose hidden away inside. They had been staying with Jackie, Pete, and the baby until they could find a flat. He wasn't sure if they were going to be living together or separate. When they were together, she seemed so happy, and always smiling. It warmed his heart every time one would touch her lips. But, now at this moment a part of him felt like he was dying.

He would never tell her, he loved Rose far too much—to tell her that he could hear her. He could hear her when she was alone, when she was missing him. It broke his heart, but he could never admit to it, that he knows. Ten had seen it happen when she sleeps. Even when he's next to her. Sometimes he can hear it, and others it's silent. Both are deadly. He would snuggle up to her, stroke her hair, and try to kiss it all away. He would whisper loving words in her ear. He would do this while she slept. He willed her pain into himself. He did not want her to suffer this prolonged agony. What more could he do?

The human doctor took in a deep breath and swallowed the knot in his chest. He carefully knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Ten opened the door with a wide grin, "Hello, Rose."

The room was clean and the carpet soft. Not a thing seemed out of place. Rose even looked like she had not moved. She still sat at on the far corner of the king-sized bed.

A smile touched the corners of Rose's mouth when she saw Ten, "Hello, Doctor."

"Fancy going for a walk?" He had already dressed and was ready to depart on their little outing.

"Yes, of course."

Her smile widened as he watched her. He scanned her face lovingly, the faint damp streaks just below her green eyes almost made his smile falter. Ten couldn't help but wonder if staying with her was really helping or causing even more damage. Jackie and Pete both have said that she seemed better when he was there. Honestly, he's not so sure. No matter what Ten does, he can always see it. That faint hint of anguish in Rose's eyes when she looks at him. No matter how hard she tries to hide it the pain remains. No one else noticed it. To them she looked like the same old Rose. Ten just knew better. He can tell even when he really makes her laugh. Her eyes didn't light up quite the same way and the sound she makes isn't quite as bubbly.

The blonde slipped a pink puffy coat up over her shoulders with her gloved hands. He could tell by her body language that she was not alright. Regardless of what came out of her mouth and how she acted. The icy air hit them like a wall the moment they opened the front door to the warm house. The newly fallen snow that blanketed the ground glistened a little under the rays of the sun. It crunched under Ten's feet as he stepped over the threshold and held a hand out for her.

"Alons-y," she whispered with a smile. Rose's hand grasped tight around his.

"Alons-y," he smiled and held her hand like his very existence depended upon it. He didn't want her to slip on the patch of ice in front of the door. That would be his excuse if she asked why he held her hand so securely.

Ten truly feared that Rose's spirit had been shattered into ruins. Rose released his hand long enough to adjust herself. That way her body rested against his arm and body for warmth. One and gripped his arm while the fingers of her other hand laced into his. He squeezed her hand a little tighter. He kissed her hair as they walked.

Something inside her had died that day. The day the true and original doctor left. It had been and still is an extended death.

He nuzzled her ear and whispered, "Rose Tyler, I love you."

"You too."

He watched her gaze longingly up at the sky as the snow floated softly down at their feet.

"Want some hot chocolate?" Rose smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Sure." He reluctantly released her hand and watched as she jogged into one of the buildings.

When she returned, she held a paper cup with a little white plastic lid out to him, "Just the way you like it, Doctor."

In that split second she looked like Rose. She was his Rose. But, in reality she was never Ten's Rose, she was always his Rose. Ten might be a clone, but in truth they weren't identical, physically they looked the same, but Donna was also a part of him. So Ten was more like an identical twin rather than a full on clone. The longer Rose remained in the parallel world the more she saw the differences between them, Ten and him. She never compared, was always grateful and caring. But every time Ten would do something more Donna he could see something cross her face for half a second. She would see the look on Ten's face and immediately compose herself.

Rose wished desperately that she couldn't notice or wouldn't notice the things he did that were not the same as the man he was born from. Ten swallowed the knot in his chest when Rose once again laced her fingers into his. He looked at her smiling face and a tear trickled silently down her cheek. As he reached for it Rose placed her mouth to his. He couldn't resist the urge to enfold his arms around her and hold her soft frame close to his.

Soft, liquid made gentle contact with his flesh—she pulled him closer—kissed him harder and deeper

When they broke apart, he could see the translucent trails beneath her eyes as she smiled so kindly and lovingly at him.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I am so so sorry."

He brushed a stray tear from her jawline, "Oh, Rose. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"But, I do," she whispered.

Ten embraced her protectively and breathed in her scent. She smelt of vanilla. Her fist clung urgently to the material of his shirt.

"Does my being here hurt you, so badly?" the words tore a hole into his heart. Fear of her answer swelled. To comfort himself Ten pulled Rose closer. It even felt as though Rose was holding him even tighter.

"Please," she sounded disconnected and muffled in his chest, "Don't. Please—don't leave me. Is it unfair for me to ask you to stay? I want you to stay."

There was so much agony, so many unsaid words and fear in that one small plea. Her tears shredded him to the point his embrace faltered.

"Rose Tyler," Ten whispered softly. Ten kissed the top of her head and rested his cheek against her hair. "I would never leave you. I will stay with you, forever, if that's what you want."

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There you go guys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's a bit late (about three hours) but I wanted to give you guys something for the holidays. I have three new chapters written but I am currently in search of a beta. I am excited about this story and I hope you guys will be too. Until next time guys I hope you had a safe and wonderful holiday.


	2. Chapter 2

A disclaimer: I don't own any characters from the show.

Author's Note: This chapter focuses on the Doctor.

Doctor Who

Life After You

Chapter 2

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The Doctor stood, alone in his TARDIS. The typical sounds of the time machine's revelations fell upon deaf ears because they no longer gave the time lord comfort. The silence that surrounded him was heartbreaking. He leaned hard on the console inhaling as deeply as he could. It felt like all the air and vanished from inside the big blue police box as it lay adrift in space. What was he to do now? It was far too late to go back now. He missed his best friend, Donna, but, the one he longed for, was Rose. He just left her standing there, with a duplicate of himself. What if he was mean to her? The Doctor would tear him limb from limb if he ever laid a finger on her, in anger. Or, at least he would have, but not even his TARDIS could cross parallel worlds, that gap, closed. Rose was trapped on the wrong side, forever.

The Time Lord slammed the heel of his palms on the edge of the console. His hearts restricted violently within his chest.

"Why are you so sad, Doctor?"

"I keep, losing people I care about," the Time Lord answered automatically.

The Doctor looked up to see the emptiness from inside his TARDIS. The sound of the voice had been nothing more than an illusion. A fragment of what had and what could have been. He could almost feel his hearts bleeding. Her name was slowly, being carved across both, hearts. Her name would always be, the deepest wound, until the day he no longer regenerated.

It wasn't fair! Why couldn't he have found another way? He loved her. Even, if it meant, he would not have been able to spend, the rest of his life with Rose. She could have spent the rest of her life, with him. That, he only now realizes, would have been better, then this. He had been so afraid of watching her die, that he shoved her into the arms of another. To save himself from the devastation, of watching her, grow old, while, he stayed the same. How upset she would be when the time came, as it does for all humans, when she would be too frail, to go on adventures, with him. She would have to sit in the TARDIS, alone and watch him, save the day. That's not something Rose, would easily accept. He couldn't protect her from death. That's something no human, can escape. He foolishly believed that by forcing her, into the arms of his clone, he was saving her. Saving her from the suffering that would have come before death. So, she didn't have to beat herself up, over something she would have no control, over. He couldn't watch that happen, not to Rose.

At least this way he had in a way he had kept his promise to Rose. He didn't leave her like he had the others. He gave a part of himself to her so that they could grow old together. He would have burned up an infinite number of suns just to tell her goodbye.

Thanks to his poor decision, he couldn't even communicate her how much he loved her. He had to allow his clone to do it so she would choose the way the Doctor wanted her to. Not that he could have articulated exactly how much he adored _his Rose._ No matter what, she would always be _his._ He would never love another as passionately or as deeply as Rose. If he ever loved, really loved again. Rose had helped him find his way back from the darkness. He owed her everything and more. If he could go back, he would change everything. He would have been on her magnetic clamp, and he would have been the one to pull that damned lever into the locked position.

At least a part of him was always going to be with Rose and to love and protect her, right? That was the only thing that gave him solace. His jacket sleeve absorbed the dampness, the desire to say the three little words she had asked to hear had an overwhelming desire to come out of his mouth. But, how could he say it now if she was not around to hear it? He knew he would lose many more people in his long life. But nothing would hurt quite so badly as when he had to leave his love behind.

He leaned hard against the console of the TARDIS, who buzzed, with concern. Where could the Doctor, go now? The sound that came from his lips would break the hearts of anyone who could have heard it. There was nowhere he could go that would not make him think of her. Even the most minuscule thing could ignite his pain.

"How can I help?"

"You can't," the Doctor whispered, clenching his fists tightly. "There is nothing you can do— not anymore."

He picked a random location, anything to keep him from going mad. He willed it all to stop with no avail. A part of him didn't want it to, but the other part of him pleaded for it to cease.

"I'm sorry."

"No—no, don't do that," the Doctor's frustration, apparent. "Don't you dare do that! You don't have the right!"

The TARDIS was empty as the Doctor pulled his fingers through his hair. He could get through this. He was the Doctor he could get through, anything. All he needed was time. Time was something he had. All, he had to do was run. He wondered if he could run fast enough to escape the pain or the memories, of her. The Time Lord wasn't even sure he wanted to.

"I don't have the right?"

"Just go away!" the Doctor demanded. He willed it to stop. He needed it, to stop. Still, a small, part of him, craved it to stay. Wanted it to linger in the walls of the TARDIS as a reminder. He jerked down on a lever and sent the TARDIS hurtling, blindly, through time and space. He didn't care where he landed or if he landed.

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I hope you like this chapter. Until next time please review and have a great day.


	3. Chapter 3

A disclaimer: I don't own any characters from the show.

Doctor Who

Life After You

Chapter 3

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Rose curled her body tighter as she lay in the bed, she shared with Ten. All she could do was half-listen to the conversation that her parents were having with Ten. Not even the blood that pulsed in her ears could drown them out. That laugh— _his_ laugh constricted on her heart. Her fingers traced absently on at the edges of the fabric of Ten's pillow. It was cool to her touch. The stitches that held Rose's mended heart unraveled. She buried her face within the pillow's creases and inhaled. She breathed him in allowing his pillow to give her solace. It was the only thing in the room that could offer her any comfort. The fabric soaked in her salty tears as she stifled her sobs within it. What used to bring her such happiness, now, only brought excruciating pain. She could picture his face as he laughed. All the memories raced through her mind. She couldn't stop them. Rose felt like she was drowning, in her memories and tears.

Ten deserved far better than what she could offer him. She was worthless. Her grip tightened around the pillow when she realized that they—mostly her parents—discussed her. She hated hearing them talk about what they suspected was wrong with her, and what the three of them could do to help. She wanted to go downstairs and demand that they stop talking. To tell them that every time they had this conversation they were hurting Ten. But, Rose couldn't bring herself to move. Her guilt was so overpowering that it devoured the energy she had left. Rose was agonizingly aware of how bad she had failed the Doctor, and of how bad she was currently failing was a living, breathing disappointment and nothing she did could ever seem to change that fact. She didn't deserve Ten. She never did and she never would. Though she never said it aloud, he would be better off without her. The Doctor was. She couldn't understand while he was still with her after everything she has done. She has failed him more times than she could count. Perhaps, he felt obligated to her because of the Doctor.

She stiffened at the sound of the door coming open. Rose's parents make frequent visits to see her. The one time she locked the door— her dad and Ten— practically took the door off its hinges.

"Rose?"

She recoiled a little at the sound of her name. It was Ten. Her parents must have been desperate if they were sending him in this early in the day.

"Rose, how about we go for a walk? It's nice out."

"It's too cold, love. Maybe, later." The response was almost mechanical. Rose wanted to go with him to make him smile, but, she couldn't seem to pry herself out of her current location. Her breath caught when she felt the bed sink downward on his side. His hand was warm against her flesh.

"How are you feeling?" The concern was apparent in his voice. Rose could always tell no matter how well he hides it.

"I'm fine," she answered after a long moment. She heard the sound of his house shoes hit the floor. His arm found its way around her small waist. He pulled her body against allowed her body to curve into him. She let his warmth soothe her. The tiny hairs on her skin prickled as he nuzzled the back of her neck. She could feel him breathing her in. Was she a comfort to him, just as he was to her? Guilt coiled deep within the pit of her stomach and expanded.

"Don't, love," he whispered tenderly, "It's me. It's truly me. I'm right here."

Rose's muscles continued to tighten the more she willed them to relax. The guilt cut deeper within her. The human time lord sighed in defeat and rolled away from her. She wanted to ask him to stay, but the words he needed to hear, refused to come out of her mouth. Her voice had hitched in her throat as the tears pierced the edges 0f her eyes. She wanted Ten to stay there next to her. She wanted to speak the words he needed to hear, but she didn't have them. All she could do was listen to every step he took toward the door. The sound of the door clicking closed behind him made her want to die. She had hurt him yet, again. Why couldn't she have just gone on the walk with him, like he asked?She wanted to, but she couldn't pry herself away from the bed.

The sound of the front door slamming shut stabbed her could hear her mother hollering for the part time lord to come back. Ten was going to leave, and it was all her fault. She deserved to be left, in fact, it would be better for everyone if she left. Her head buzzed with guilt for what she had just done to Ten. She had never meant to hurt him. Hurting him was never her intention. With all the strength she could muster Rose forced herself to sit up. Her head swam from the sudden movement. The bedroom door clicked open with ease. Her reluctant feet shuffled down the hallway. Her hand drug across the wall as she walked. She could hear them-her parents- once again bickering over what they should do to help her.

Rose descended the stairs gingerly. Her legs felt so heavy she could barely move them. When she reached the back door, she stood in front of it for a long moment. She had to come up with something to say to Ten when she found him. What could she say? She should tell Ten to pack up and leave. He was too kind of a person to have to deal with this— to deal with her. He didn't deserve this sort of treatment. He was going to decide to leave her, eventually. Why delay the inevitable? So, he could suffer along with her?

The frigid air collided into her, with a vengeance. The wind's impact knocked the air from her lungs. She cautiously stepped over the warm threshold, and on the frozen porch. She went slowly, as her feet sank, into the cold, wet snowfall. It had been snowing for a couple of hours. The snow was still, crisp, new and untouched. She carefully walked down the slick driveway, before she reached the road. She had to pick herself up several times before she was at the now white black top.

Her feet shuffled along the road's shoulder as she walked. Her body stiffened in protest of her motion. Her mind screamed objections with every gust of the wind that swept past. It sliced through her with relentless vigor. Her mind only focused on, the only thing that mattered, Ten. In truth, he was the only thing she could even get to come into focus, in the fogginess of her brain. Rose was going to release him. He should hold no obligations to her, in any form. So, Ten needed finding. She gazed at all the faces of the onlookers as she passed by. She searched every face, looking for the one she longed to see the most. The bridge was slowly coming into view. Rose sighed. Even, after all, her looking she still couldn't find him. He was gone too, just like her _Doctor_. She couldn't stop the tears that leaped from her lashes.

Rose didn't want to lose Ten. She didn't want him to feel obligated to her either. She wanted him to stay because he wanted to. Regardless, of how broken, she was. That thought made Rose feel even more selfish. Rose grasped tightly to the bridge's railing, her eyes locked onto the horizon. She leaned hard against the cold metal. The urge to ease everyone's suffering was almost gratifying. That's all it would take, just a few short actions, one step and she would free everyone in one instant of impact.

Ten shook the snow off his coat before he placed it on the peg. A smile spread wide across his features as he reached into his pocket and retrieved the tiny black velvet box. He held it tight between his fingers. He was too excited to bother putting his boots under his coat as Rose always had hers.

"How's the weather?" Jackie asked from the kitchen. Ten could hear Tony banging on a few of the pots Jackie always put out for him while she cooked.

"Getting worse. No one will be going anywhere tomorrow. Where's Rose?"

"Where she always is," Pete nodded at the staircase when he stepped into Ten's line of vision.

Ten ran his thumb across the box as he started to sprint down the hallway. He would deal with Jackie's wrath later for tracking snow through her nice clean house. This gift would surely put a genuine smile on Rose's face.

He stopped in front of the closed door that had _his Rose_ sealed away inside. He bounced a little on the balls of his feet with excitement. He inhaled a deep breath and exhaled, slowly. Ten tapped on the door and waited. When he didn't hear a response, he knocked a bit louder. The anticipation was making him want to bust. After the third knock with no movement, or sound from within, concern, filled the pit of his stomach.

He knocked a final time, "Rose? Are you alright? I'm coming in."

The bedroom door swung open with ease. Ten expected to see Rose, sleeping so very soundly, on their bed. Instead, Ten was, welcomed with scattered covers and empty, space. All alarms in his brain sounded off at once. He gripped the box tighter as he ascended the staircase. It was useless checking all the rooms in their wing the house. Other than their bedroom, all other doors were locked.

Pete asked, "Jackie, have you seen, Rose?"

She stepped into view from the kitchen door, Tony on her hip, "No. Wasn't she upstairs?"

Pete shook his head.

"Right," Jackie said, putting Tony on the floor, "She's got to be somewhere. Let's get to looking."

The three adults searched the house, while Tony played in his playpen blissfully unaffected by his sister's departure.

Ten swallowed hard. A draft crept against his flesh. His blood ran cold at the sight of the open back door. The little black box lay discarded and forgotten on the floor. He slipped on the ice as his foot slammed over the door's threshold. He could see faint hints of her footprints in the fading light. His feet carried him through the falling snow with vigorous diligence. He pulled the phone from his pocket and quickly dialed Rose's number.

Upon the first ring, "Pick up, Rose. Please, pick up."

Her voice reassured him of her safety, "Hello, this is Rose. I can't come to the phone…"

Ten slammed his phone shut in frustration. He looked in all her favorite places. She wasn't in the coffee shop, the flower shop, or at the little Chinese restaurant that she liked, or even at the place that made the "best chips in the whole universe."

He ripped his fingers through his hair searching face after face, for the one he was so desperate to find.

"Rose! " He screamed, at the top of his lungs. He placed his head, in the bottom parts of his palms. He needed to think. Where else would she have gone? He couldn't think of anywhere else.

He pulled his phone out and once again dialed her number.

When the phone indicated for him to speak, Ten did, "Rose, I need you to call me back. The moment, the second, you get this. Please, Rose. I need to know you're alright. It's the Doctor."

"Excuse me, young man," the voice was then followed by a slight touch on the arm.

He turned, to see an elderly, woman in an old coat. The woman wore an oversized hat with flowers on her head, with a big black purse hanging from her shoulder

"Are you looking for that girl? The blonde one?"

"Yes," Ten said, shoving his phone into his pocket. "I am. Where was she?"

"On the bridge. I was heading home to call the police…" the woman could see the clear, desperation in his eyes.

Ten kissed the old woman before she even knew what was happening, "You're brilliant! Thank you!"

He ran, full speed ahead, towards the bridge. He willed Rose to be there with every fiber of his being. The snow was thickening, making it, harder and harder, for him to see. The wind seemed to blow colder the lower the sun sank from the sky. ,  
Ten could hear the old woman hollering after him, "She didn't look well. She'll catch her death, if she doesn't get inside, soon!"

His, stride elongated, the sun will set before he finds her if he doesn't hurry.

Ten's pace only slowed when he saw someone standing by the railing of the bridge. Concern overpowered him as he forced another burst of speed. The image of Rose's coat still hanging on the hook at the house flashed through his mind. He tried to remember if her boots had been under neither it or not.

The wind whipped violently as the sun clung desperately into the sky. Rose just stood there, exposed to all the elements.

"Rose!" He called, through the burning, of his lungs. "Rose!"

She hadn't heard him. She continued to grip the railing hard and stare off into the darkened horizon.

The old, woman had been right. Rose would catch her death, if he didn't get her inside, soon. She wore nothing to protect her from the state of the weather. She had not even dressed for the day before she ventured out. She wore only her thin cotton moon and star pajamas and a pair of white socks. Which he was sure, were wet. What had she been thinking? Did she not want to walk with him so badly that she would do something like this?

"Rose!" he called again. Ten held his breath when she turned around. Her movement had been concerningly, slow. Her face was red, blotchy and could be showing signs of frostbite. Her lips were bleeding, and an alarming blue, shade. Her eyes were red, puffy the streaks were barely visible on her paling skin.

"Wizard," Ten muttered in horror. Rose only smiled at him, one of genuine, unadulterated gladness.

Rose's legs moved tautly, as her feet drag, through the layers of snow. She didn't have the energy to lift them. Relief washed over her at the sight of him. Ten hadn't left her without saying goodbye.

"Doctor," Rose breathed, crumbling, into the snow.

"Rose!" the panic echoed through the air.

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There you go everyone. Until next time please review and have a great day!


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